Lost and not Found
by Timefather64
Summary: A sequel to The Cold Shadow: Rarity must survive through the dreadful collapsing of her business while protecting Sweetie Belle. Mysterious strangers, foalnappings, and many more have been going around the town and her safety is most important. But when a stranger comes to them, horror ensures their fates. Sweetie Belle is endanger and it is up to Rarity to save her.


**Lost and not Found**

**By Timefather64**

**(My Little Pony is own by Hasbro, my work is own by me, their characters is own by them, and mine is own by me. The story is of dark element and is not meant for young to read but Teen or Adult. Enjoy.)**

"_We know you have her, Rarity."_

_-Y__e__ Folks of __-_

The letter was malignant; written by those born under the star of the malice creatures residing in _Plutonium_. I knew nothing of the writer, or what he or she meant, but it had that dark glow to it. As if the writer enchanted their words so that the one reading it could feel their soul and tremble in fear. I did felt it, but I did not tremble or believe it. I was in disbelief about the writer's letter, as if he/she knew what I had. I had many things in my life, but whatever it was that caught this one's attention, I shivered by the thought that one of the things I have must have painfully impacted this one's life. The letter was from anonymous mostly, delivered by a cloaked pony concealed under a hood, preventing anyway for me to identify him. Sure, "_Y__e__ Folks of…,_" was some way to identify who it was or where they were from, but it was unknown due to the location being scratched out.

My worries, however, was sided with another sense of dread that made me sick. My friend, Twilight Sparkle was sent to the _Manehatten Asylum_ located in _Fillydelphia_ for some strange reason. It was reported on the newspaper I got from Featherweight, that she burned down her home and killed Spike in process. Also, it mentioned her attempt to harm Rainbow Dash, which I have not seen in a long time. Everything became confusing after that, since there were summaries and theories written down as if she was planning this from the start or diagnosed with some strange disease that mentally drove her insane. I deny such gossip, but I did not deny the fact that three of my friends were gone.

Fluttershy was troubled by this and paid visits to Twilight, and Rainbow Dash that remained quiet from all her visitors, especially Applejack. They made have been behind those steel doors, while we remained unanswered from them why, but they remained especial. I might have to say that I did not visit either of them for the fact is I had problems on my own hooves. It was wrong, I must admit, to not visit either of them, but business grew tight and I had no time to spend quality time talking to them, or trying to make Dash talk as Fluttershy told me of her strange silence and alien daze at the wall in her room. I wanted to help, honestly I did, but business came first, and raising Sweetie Belle was too.

For several weeks, the town was gloomy; folks from other cities or towns came passing by while few stood inside Inns, but did nothing special on the mornings. They were strange folks, blank flanks mostly, and it was rare to find grown ponies with blank flanks. It seemed strange and bit comical since I remember Sweetie Belle telling me a strange story her friend, Applebloom, told her about when she went with Twilight to visit Zecora. I founded it quite odd for such a filly to speak of such things; finding a place that never existed, and encountering disturbing ponies. It did not make sense to me, but then again, it had to be some made up ghost story that small filly believed to be true.

Since the town became half empty not only from the strange visits of these ponies that bought nothing or spent not much bits for businesses to stay open, folks in the town have been packing up their supplies and moving away. But I knew a few that only moved away out of the fear of what was read in the paper about Twilight's lost mind with reality. I did not understand why she would do such things, but I also did not believe what that she would do it in the first place, for again, I did not believe in such gossip. I was, however, sad about Spike's death. I never had the chance to give him a special gem like last time for his birthday and spending quality time with him as my helper was all but gone and replaced with loneliness.

I wanted a proper burial for him, but I did not want Twilight to be there for the sake of her emotions, since whatever happened in the library probably will cause her to do drastic things during the funeral. But the funeral did not happen for my request for such things was denied. I manage to gain some information that Spike's corpse was being taken to _Canterlot's Hospital_, but for no given reason why he was, I remained empty of answered questions, forever lost in the mist of strange events.

* * *

When the tomorrow came, Sweetie Belle was at school and business here was quiet. The only sound that I heard was my clopping hooves whenever I went from one room to the other, making sure everything was set up accordingly, so that when I had to retrieve a certain item for a customer, or myself, I will have it already ready, up to go. The loneliness was a lingering feeling I did not like too well, but had to handle it in this small town. I expected customers, hoping to make a profit in order to keep this place up, but instead I only gained the brush of the wind that started to blow against the frame of my door. It was, at somewhat pointlessly, maddening, for I wanted to go places. But work was important and I had no second left to spare but keeping this place up and running.

My lonesome dread however changed, once a stranger in a hooded cloak entered into my boutique. The stranger wore the same hooded cloak the messenger had when he gave me the anonymous letter. Just his presence made me edgy, secretly frighten by his ominous appearance. As if I stared into a harbinger of pure destruction, or worse. He sat, without any sign of impatience, and silently awaited my greetings as I stared in puzzling, concealed horror at him.

I greeted him, but he remained quiet, staring at me through his dark hood that shadowed over his face. I asked him what he wanted and if he had any order to appoint, but he again remained quiet. His muted behavior troubled me as I started to slightly tremble at the sight of him. The black hooded cloak was a perfect fit for this strange pony, for not only his odd appearance and strange quietness, something strange came off of this stranger. I felt sick and dizzy, hallucinating; for small glows of blue light emitted off the pony was seen.

The luminescent light made my vision blurry as my body started becoming weak to stand up. But then everything settled once he spoke, for as strange as it was, my vision return instantly to its normal state, and my weak body that almost collapse, became still and awake. It was strange that that just happen, but my attention was refocused to him once he spoke. His tone was not so kind or cold, but calm and dark.

"Where," He began, "might I find the one that is nowhere else to find?" Such a puzzling question from something so concealed. I looked at him oddly, attempting to solve the question that remained unclear to me for a while, but my examination through such peculiar things became quickly toss aside for the stranger spoke again, but this time in a demanding tone than a questioning one.

"Where," He demanded, "is the one I search for that is nowhere else to find?" I could not figure out for I did not understand. What was he looking for and why did he sounded persistent in finding this pony? I became troubled, answering him that I did not know. My answer however, was not what he was hoping for. He made an annoyed groan before turning back from the sound of the door opening and gasped softly from the sight of Sweetie Belle entering. I looked at him oddly as he stared at her for a bit too long, before looking back at me. Sweetie Belle, well taught to not speak when I am doing business quickly scurry off to the kitchen, waiting for me to be finish. Something was strange about him, for he started walking away to the exit without anything else left to say.

I called out to him, but he ignored it and exited the boutique. Once he was gone, Sweetie Belle quickly entered into the lobby and smothered me with countless of less interesting things about her day at school. I hear her, but I did not listen for I was trying to figure out why the stranger, who asked for something I had no clue of, look at my sister for too long and decided to leave without any more questions to spur out. I felt this troubling feeling that he was going to be back, but if he was, then I will be sure to question him who he was looking for. For now, I decided to put my attention to Sweetie Belle, curious to what she was saying to me. Her day at school was not so pleasant for just like that hooded pony; there was another talking to Applebloom and her other friend Scootaloo.

* * *

As the day went by, I mailed Applejack my concerns with Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, for it was a mystery why a stranger would come up to them. Sweetie Belle told me that the pony wanted to know where they could find the sleeping spirit, but the fillies were lost of answers and were greeted with a frustrated anger that came off the stranger in a heated blaze that Ms. Cheerilee, for I am glad at least, intervene and had the pony leave the playground area immediately. I felt that it was best we kept our sister's under a supervised watch; just in case strangers like that came around. It was but a coincidence that the mail mare, Ditzy Doo's, I believe to named, foal went missing when she encountered a strange figure in a wagon.

She became horrified and panicked when the royal guard did not go after the stranger in the wagon. Still, today, she remained missing. Keeping my sister safe was the important factor of my life for I could never forgive myself if she was to suddenly vanish without a trace and I was left alone forever in this hellish boutique; alone forever, without my blood to be by side when I need her the most. The guard was not to depend on when a crime has been committed for you see, Ditzy's daughter was the not only one foalnapped; many foals, in and out of this town went missing with no trace left behind. Such evil existed in this world, that I questioned why no pony, especially Celestia herself was doing anything about it. It was best to keep an eye on Sweetie Belle. There was no way I was going to allow such ruffians to touch my little sister without getting through me first.

And after making sure of such a rightful decision, I made sure Sweetie Belle stay with me for the week, working by my side on suits ordered from pony folks from _Canterlot_. One, a strange request as it was, ordered a bright blue suit with black lined down patterns along with black buttons. The request was from a pony named Showtime Pallazo, and I remember him contacting me by letter that he was hosting some kind of event and wanted to dress up his employees with a fine suit. I felt flattered of such a request, for he also credited my skills to being "perfect" in dexterous abilities that I carried so well in magical, nice, being. It did felt good, I must admit; that besides the compliment and strange letter of an unknown customer, I felt at peace and not lonely like I always felt before, since Sweetie Belle was by my side.

That lonely feeling I always felt when she was gone was gone and the safe bubble I formed before Spike's death and Rainbow Dash and Twilight's confinement. If only I done this before, maybe I would not be in such a gloomy state. So, I am alright, at least, but I still feel unsettled for the fact is, I still did not throw out that letter anonymous sent me. I also was on my hooves, ready to question that pony who looked at Sweetie Belle too strangely. At least I will be ready to step in if something odd begins to happen.

A messenger arrived with another letter, but this was only a broach to some type of circus, but I was no fan of circuses; on the other hand, Sweetie Belle was. I kept it hidden from her, frightened she might become too curious and persistent to go there, knowing I will not allow such actions. Her safety was vital as keeping this business up. As the messenger left, I forgot to ask him the owner of the strange letter I received from him previously, so, in on his next return someday, I will quickly answer him before taking the next letter since it seemed like he was the new mail delivery pony replacing poor Ditzy Doo.

I had hidden the broach in my closet, promising to burn it later in the furnace in the basement after I close the boutique. Business strangely was running smoothly, which I founded quite perfect and accumulating great for the bills that promised eviction were soon toss to the garbage for I had enough bits to pay off such dreadful formatted papers. Never had I felt such lightness touch on my shoulders as the feeling of relief and freedom swallowed up the heavy gloom and anguish and removed it into the waste bin. I was happy, with not only Sweetie Belle, but the feeling of finally getting through another day alive and safe from bills and pain. Maybe I might be able to visit Twilight and Rainbow Dash, but first I had to get through the day.

* * *

It went by smoothly, for I slept peacefully in bed with no problems to prevent by sleeping pills. Once the sun of Celestia replaced the moon of Luna's, I decided to let Sweetie Belle invite Applebloom and Scootaloo over as Applejack babysit them, for I scheduled a meeting with Twilight. The ride, for I did take a cab, to _Fillydelphia_ was pleasing, quite nice I must admit. The road was a few hours long from here to there since the driver knew his way around the roads quite well. During the ride, before we made it to the city, I saw a circus with ponies wearing masks black outfits entering a large tent. I carefully assumed it was the same circus the brochure was talking about, but I paid no more mind to it, finding it unnecessary to go to or think of since I did not like circuses that much as I already mentioned before.

The town was buzzing with pony folks, rural as always, but busy, too. The ride cost not much to me for I had enough bits to pay for it. The place, however, where Twilight and Rainbow Dash resided in, was not too pleasant if I had to say the least. I was not comfortable with some sick pony folks roaming the halls, but at least the staff members monitored them with great care. A doctor approached me and asked me if I was visiting Twilight, quickly agreeing in hopes of leaving the hallway from the sick, he led me to her, but not to the second floor or first floor, but in the bottom floor.

I was never answered why she was locked down here like some caged animal with Dash, but my complaint about it was simply brushed off with a callous remark. I founded it rude, but then again, I could see how this doctor been through the same thing every day; tending to sick ponies both criminally evil and innocently hurt both physically and mentally. Though, I founded it still rude, but I had to see my friend Twilight and had no time in questioning his attitude. Once he stopped at Twilight's door, I noticed how there was seven locks placed on the steel bolted door. Another thing I founded unnecessary for my friend for Twilight was no violent mare. When he opened the door, a bright light caused me to cover my eyes. Once my vision adjusted to such brightness, I saw, within the white room, poor Twilight in the corner staring at the ceiling motionlessly, paused in a catatonic state.

"Twilight," I began, "Are you in some kind of ail, my dear friend? It is me, Rarity, remember?" She lowered her head, blinking twice for returning back to her regular state in reality, and stared at me calmly.

"Rarity," She spoke in a greeted tone that soon dampened to a sadden one, "where is Spike? He still is not here and I need him to send a letter to the princess of my report of the strange problems Dash is going through. Where is he, do you know? That baby dragon probably is asleep still, but I guess it would not really matter, right? He did have a long day, did he not? I can always have him send the letter later while helping out Dash in the process." Just hearing that made me want to cry, for she was not only in a bad state; for her body looked starve, but she was also oblivious on the fact Spike was gone and Rainbow Dash was just next door to her. The princess was not here to help her, which probably was why she was drove her on the brink of insanity and made her believe she was still in her home, Spike was alive, and whatever wrong was going on with Dash was still able to be solve.

I wanted to tell her the truth, but it would break my heart on the spot too much for I knew, just by the sight of it and the obviousness cast before me, that she was in a disbelief phase. Saying anything that would make her deny the truth from existing to her would surely be seen without any doubt, so the best I could do was play along with her illusion casted from her broken mind. Applejack would have perhaps broken down in a fit of rage or tears, unable to play along a lie just for the sake of her own friend. It was difficult, for I pretended to converse with her, agreeing and giving her advice on things that had no matter or control to her anymore. Twilight was gone, and sadly, her mind died a long time ago with her.

* * *

After hours of pointless lies I forced myself to say, I decided it was best to leave. And so I did, I did not look back however, for I felt it was not necessary to do so anymore since I knew Twilight was no longer here on this earth. She was gone and there was no way I could imagine her coming back. For now, it was best to just leave, for I fear Dash was the worse one than her. When I returned home, Applejack was not here, which must explain that she probably took Applebloom back home. As I proceeded to my room, I made sure to visit Sweetie Belle's first, but the young filly was not there causing me to become suspicious.

I slowly trotted to my room, feeling the bit of surprise that she was there, waiting for my presence, just so she could leap out and hug me. But as I slowly open my door to my room, I saw nothing but my stuff trampled around. But that was not the slightest bit of my worry for shock and panic along with the running case of fear switched in. For there I saw the broach, resting on the ground, opened wide. Sweetie Belle was not here, no, she was gone, to that circus. I quickly left out the boutique in the middle of the night, heading to the last place I saw the circus, heading there to find Sweetie Belle and get her home immediately.

It was cold, scary, and the midnight moon of Luna stood high in the sky with an ominous shined that cast a small but visible glow upon the forest as I ran down the dirt road. I memorized the roads taken by the cab driver and went down each one accordingly as I would on the thoroughfare in _Ponyville_ if I were ever to get lost. The only problem I had on this shivering search was visibility for the moon was helpful, but not too helpful. The darkness was not so pleasant to me and using a spell to assist me in this was not enough to help me see what was up ahead.

But I soon paused by the sound of music that played so melodiously well, that I looked around for it as a source of direction. From the west, where the cab driver last took me through, the music came from calmly without any need of raising volume to being loud or lowering it to a sudden quietness. It was in the middle, helping me hurry towards it with haste. I soon stopped, by the side of the tree, peeking from the side as I spotted the source of the music. It came from the large tent many masked dressed ponies entered.

The beautiful music that carried this strange unnerving feeling was coming from the inside of it, so I took a few silent steps before quickly hurrying to the back of the tent where no pony noticed me. I heard Sweetie Belle giggling, which relieved my stress in finding her, but then I heard something else. The voice of a familiar pony, the same pony that visited my boutique and looked at her oddly; the voice matched his perfectly, but the only thing I needed left to prove it was him to me was to see if it was him. I peeked through the red and white striped covers and there, a slender unicorn pony with a white coat, short blond wavy mane, and long blond tail with a bell tied to the end, and a blank flank, which was odd for he was almost like the strangers that visited the town. He was sitting in front of Sweetie Belle smiling softly, staring her with his unusual, disturbing, and haunting eyes for there was a red one on the left, but a purple one on the right.

I attempted to call out to her, but suddenly I felt a cloth press against my nose and mouth, forcing me to inhale a strange aroma that suddenly caused me to become hazy and eventually black out. When I soon awoke from the darkness that enshrouded my vision, I faced the steel bars of a cage, looking at them aimlessly before registering to my surroundings. I was inside a cage, locked, and confined from the outside for not only did I see circus equipment, I seen other cages full of grotesque horrors of deformed ponies. But they were not all grown, most were foals of many genders. Each either disfigured or dead on the hay, while some who were disfigured acted oddly, as if they were in some type of play. Sweetie Belle came up to my mind when I started looking around for her, but I was greeted with unmentionable horror.

My stomach turned, my body trembled, and tears swept down my eyes, pouring down with sadness to carry their meaning. There, before me in the next cage was Scootaloo and Applebloom, sewn together with one wing on each side. I wanted to cry out horror, but my voice did not permit such loud noise, only silence and shock. My body ceased any actions as I stared at the sewn eye shut fillies that used each other to support one another in standing up. Once I gained my movement back, I looked around, witnessing how many were either wishing death to fall upon them quickly or just emptiness.

Once I got up from the ground, I suddenly fell flat on my face. Confused, I looked down at my hooves, only to be shock that I had no hooves to begin with. I finally cried out, confused and horrified by the missing supports of my limbs. Where was I? What happened to my hooves? Where is Sweetie Belle? All my questions seemed to be held answer by the pony I saw talking to Sweetie Belle, the one who entered the tent with a saddle on his back and chain in mouth, pulling something forward. But what he pulled forward brought me to finally vomit and cry out in sheer agony, pleading for an escape.

Applejack's body, dissolved from some unknown substance that still sizzled and burn through her corpse. Oh the terror brought so ruthlessly made me wanted to faint. He stopped and looked at me, smiling softly before giving off a small whistle that emitted pleasantly and evilly through the air. Behind him, Sweetie Belle entered through the tent, but once she looked at me, she was no longer what I used to known her as anymore. On the right side of her face was Dinky's face and on the filly's feet were my hooves that heightened her. What I also noticed that caused me to have sort of flashback was the suit she was wearing. It was the suit that was ordered from this Showtime Pallazo that admired my skill and beauty. I only finished it before departing to see Twilight, which must explain that, the pony with the saddle pulling the poor dissolved corpse of Applejack had to be him.

The suffering I seen through their eyes, and many was enough to curse the stallion that simply smile with no care to the world of my remarks. He simply brushed back his mane before proceeding ahead into a dark room that stood at the end of the tent on the path of the cafes of the deformity. Sweetie Belle followed him, ignoring my pleas for her to come back. Where were we? Plutonium, were we really here? This was madness, too much of it for I started to become tired, dizzy, and again fell into a state of unconsciousness. Darkness swallowed up me, promising a cold nightmare, and I was too willing to let it have its way in order to prevent myself from losing my mind any further.

But light promised me an awakening as I woke up from the darkness. I looked around, frantically, sweating in terror before realizing I was on top of my bed within in my boutique. There was a knock on the door and I quickly hurried downstairs to answer it, ignoring the sweat that drenched my coat and mane. Once I opened the door, no pony was there, but a letter left behind on the floor mat. I picked up the letter and began reading, but was not please for mix of horror and shock return and remained in me:

"_To Rarity,_

_Carousel Boutique_

_Ponyville, 1034 _

_We thank you for giving her to us, Rarity. She will make a perfect prize possession for us as we progress through the war that remains in dread and disgust. Thank you very much for also participating with our cause. We hope you understand and try not wasting your breath, for you see Rarity…no pony will believe you, even when they know it is true. They hear, but they do not listen. They know, but they will not tell. _

_I would have just taken you and your sister, but seeing how her interruption was so abrupt, I decided to change my plans and cancel out the spell on you. Perhaps wait for a better time to get you. It happened so well, but it was not you I captured, just your friend Applejack, I believe, and those two fillies. They serve a well cause to us. Thank you._

_-Sincerity, _

_Y__e__ Folks of the Circus of Happiness."_

I dropped the letter realizing it was no dream, for once I looked down to look at my hooves, I saw the hooves of my sister's, not mine. I stared ahead, taking in what I just read. She was gone, lost forever, and I was unable to get her back. Alone I felt again; scared and alone. I did not know how to react to this and I did not know what to say of all of this. For I was alone again, rotting away like those in a cage in that circus.

_-Fin-_

**(I hope you enjoyed it, for I was inspired by the dark story of Dark Woods Circus' real story. –Shivers- I founded it quite horrifying honestly, for who would not. Have a great day now.)**


End file.
